Vanuatu
Where can I find information about Vanuatu?
(Years 5-8)
Image: Taka village kastom welcome by Sarah Macmillan on Flickr.
Entry last updated: 26/09/23
Introduction
Vanuatu, once known as the New Hebrides, gained independence from France and Britain in 1980. The country is made up of over 80 islands in the South Pacific. The capital city is Port Vila on Éfaté island. Other populated islands are Espíritu Santo, Pentecost and Tanna. It is only a 4 hour flight from New Zealand and is fast becoming a popular tourist destination.
Facts and pictures
There are some excellent websites to look for facts and information about the history, people and geography of Vanuatu.
This is a well-known news website and a great place to find reliable and up-to-date information.
- Use the search box and enter the name of the island you are interested in ie Vanuatu.
- Select the result that says Vanuatu country profile.
Lonely Planet is a company that writes and sells travel guides. Their website includes facts and pictures of different places around the world.
- Search for 'Vanuatu' then select the Destinations heading to access the Destination Vanuatu travel guide.
- Choose the heading In detail, or scroll down the page.
- Look at the Basic stats, or find out about the History of Vanuatu.
- Go to Further reading for more information.
National Geographic is known for its illustrated magazine and the website has a good range of images and videos of many countries, but not so much on Vanuatu.
- Entering 'Vanuatu' into the search box will bring up a list of results.
- From here you can choose Photography to view photos and pictures.
- Or choose Articles for two stories about using drones to gather information.
Tips: Websites that have .com or .co in the address can have good information, but you need to assess how reliable it is. Check the About us link on the website, if you can find one. That can tell you what the company’s mission and values are.
Daily life
These websites have information about daily life in Vanuatu.
This is one of the EPIC resources. EPIC is a collection of reliable databases covering lots of different topics. It’s put together especially for New Zealand school students and helps to answer questions like this.
- Choose the Primary level and put in your keyword 'Vanuatu' to bring up a list of results.
- The entry Vanuatu (island country in the Pacific Ocean) provides an excellent overview of life in Vanuatu.
Tips: To get to the EPIC resources you will need a password from your school librarian first. Or you can chat with one of our AnyQuestions librarians between 1 and 6 pm Monday to Friday and they will help you online. Some EPIC databases may also be available through your public library.
This site will help provide an overview of the Ni-Vanuatan culture.
- Entering 'Vanuatu' in the search box brings up a list of results including information about some of the individual islands.
- The first entry - Culture of Vanuatu , includes details of food in Vanuatu and also social structure.
The popular video site YouTube has many videos about Vanuatu.
- Entering 'Vanuatu' in the search box brings up a long list of results. We recommend the following two that show local life, the scenery and tourist attractions in the islands.
- Vanuatu Holiday Guide by Expedia (about 9 minutes long).
- Vanuatu: Discover What Matters by Air Vanuatu (about 15 minutes long).
Tips: You need to be aware that the information on YouTube is contributed by lots of different people. It can be a good way to learn more about a topic, but you need to be careful that the information is accurate. If you are using this site, it always pays to check the information against that on other sites or in books from the library.
New Zealand connection
New Zealand has a good, long-standing relationship with Vanuatu. The following website has information about our connection to Vanuatu.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - Manatū Aorere
This site will help with understanding about New Zealand's relationship with the Pacific Islands, including Vanuatu.
- Select Countries & regions
- Choose Pacific
- Go to Vanuatu on the country listing below the map to find more information.
Tips: We like sites that are from government or other reputable organisations, because we can trust the information. You can sometimes tell these sites by their web address – they might have .gov or .edu in their address – or by looking at their About usor Contactpages.
Books
These books will give you more information about Vanuatu, its people, and the culture of the islands:
Vanuatu: the Happiest Place on Earth by Rob Tucker.
Vanuatu by Melanie Guile.
The Walking Tree by Jill McGregor.
SCIS no. 1905047
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